Sam’s Gone Away (on board a man of war)

Sam’s Gone Away is a capstan chantey of murky origins. It’s a good starter chantey as it is mostly chorus, the leader simply singing the opening line alone. It starts with washing to be a cabin boy and rises up through the ranks ultimately ending with wishing to be the admiral! But many today add silly lines such as wishing to be the figurehead or a seagull or even a barnacle.